lesson ── git-labs ── ~20 мин ── 7 шагов

Atomic commits: add -p and amend

The goal is to learn how to cut a large set of changes into small, topic-focused commits with git add -p. And to fix a commit you just made without a new entry in history, using git commit --amend.

интерактивный sandbox

Поднимется контейнер gitlab/git-base с git, bash, pre-commit. В браузере откроется терминал, можно сразу git init. Каждый шаг проверяется автоматически. Сеть air-gapped, github.com недоступен.

запустить sandbox →

stack ── git · bash · 256 MB RAM · air-gapped · самоуничтожается через 30 мин простоя

Шаги

Create a repo and a first meaningful file

bash

cd /home/student/work

mkdir -p atomic-lab && cd atomic-lab

git init -b main

cat > server.js <<'EOF'

function add(a, b) {

  return a + b;

console.log(add(2, 3));

EOF

git add . && git commit -m "init: add function"

git log --oneline

The starting point is one file with one function.

✓ Starting commit is in place.

02
Make three different changes in one file
Imagine a typical workday: you tweaked the typing, added a new feature, fixed a bug, all in one file.
bash
cd /home/student/work/atomic-lab
cat > server.js <<'EOF'
// refactor: jsdoc types
/**
* @param {number} a
* @param {number} b
*/
function add(a, b) {
if (a == null || b == null) return 0;
return a + b;
}
// feat: subtract
function sub(a, b) {
return a - b;
}
console.log(add(2, 3));
console.log(sub(5, 2));
EOF
git diff
Three topics are mixed together: refactor (jsdoc), fix (null-check), feat (sub). In normal work you would just commit this as "misc changes". Now you will split them.
✓ Three topics in one diff. Next you will cut them apart.
03
First, fix the last commit's message with amend
Since the file is already changed, practice amend on the message separately. First, make the working tree clean again:
bash
cd /home/student/work/atomic-lab
git stash push -m "wip-mess" # set uncommitted work aside in the stash with a label
git log --oneline
# --amend replaces the last commit with a new one (with a different SHA), -m sets the new message
git commit --amend -m "init: add function with two-arg signature"
git log --oneline # the commit's SHA changed
git stash pop # bring the stashed work back
Notice: the message changed, but the commit's SHA became a different one (check with git log -1 --format=%H). amend is not an "edit in place"; it creates a new commit and moves the branch pointer.
✓ Message fixed with amend. Next, add -p.
04
Stage only the refactor part (jsdoc) into the index
git add -p server.js starts an interactive dialog. For each hunk Git asks: Stage this hunk [y,n,q,a,d,s,e,?]?.

The most useful answers:
- y is yes, into the index
- n is no, leave it in the working tree
- s is split (cut the hunk into smaller ones)
- q is quit
bash
cd /home/student/work/atomic-lab
git add -p server.js # -p (--patch) = interactive staging by hunk
Answer y on the hunk with the jsdoc types and null-check refactor (use s if they are stuck together), n on everything that touches sub. After that, check:
bash
git diff --cached # what went into the index (ready to commit)
git diff # what is left unstaged in the working tree
Only the refactor should land in the index. Subtract stayed in the working tree.
подсказка
If you get lost in the interactive prompt, `q` exits. The run is non-destructive, so you can repeat it.
✓ Refactor in the index, feature still in the working tree.
05
Commit the refactor as its own commit
bash
cd /home/student/work/atomic-lab
git commit -m "refactor: add jsdoc types and null-check"
git log --oneline
git status
Status shows that server.js is still modified: subtract is in the working tree.
✓ First atomic commit is ready.
06
Commit the subtract feature separately
Now add the rest, which is only feat:
bash
cd /home/student/work/atomic-lab
git add server.js
git diff --cached
git commit -m "feat: add sub function"
git log --oneline
Three commits: init, refactor, feat. Each one is its own topic.
✓ Atomic decomposition is done.
07
Add to the last commit with amend
Noticed you forgot to add console.log(sub(...)) as a separate commit? It is part of the same feature, so you can fold it into an amend.

But console.log is already in the file. Simulate "forgot and added it":
bash
cd /home/student/work/atomic-lab
echo "// usage example below" > note.txt
git add note.txt
# --amend = replace HEAD with a new commit, --no-edit = keep the old message
git commit --amend --no-edit
git log --oneline # the commit count is the same, but HEAD now contains note.txt
git show HEAD --stat # --stat = short summary of changed files
--amend --no-edit added the file to the last commit and kept the message. History is still 3 commits, but the last one now contains note.txt.

Rule: amend only before you push to a shared branch. On a pushed branch this means a force-push, which breaks git pull for everyone else.
✓ Amend added to the commit. History stayed short.

Что ты узнал

git add -p is interactive staging by hunk. You can build a commit from part of the changes in a file. git commit --amend rewrites the last commit: either the message or the content.

команды

git add -p fileinteractively pick hunks for staging
git diff --cachedcheck what went into the index before the commit
git commit --amendfix the last commit (message or content)
git commit --amend --no-editkeep the message, add a new stage

концепции

· an atomic commit = one logical change
· add -p lets you build a commit from part of a file
· amend changes the commit's SHA, so do not run it on pushed branches

Шаги

Create a repo and a first meaningful file

bash

cd /home/student/work

mkdir -p atomic-lab && cd atomic-lab

git init -b main

cat > server.js <<'EOF'

function add(a, b) {

  return a + b;

console.log(add(2, 3));

EOF

git add . && git commit -m "init: add function"

git log --oneline

The starting point is one file with one function.

✓ Starting commit is in place.

Make three different changes in one file

Imagine a typical workday: you tweaked the typing, added a new feature, fixed a bug, all in one file.

bash

cd /home/student/work/atomic-lab

cat > server.js <<'EOF'

// refactor: jsdoc types

/**

 * @param {number} a

 * @param {number} b

*/

function add(a, b) {

  if (a == null || b == null) return 0;

  return a + b;

// feat: subtract

function sub(a, b) {

  return a - b;

console.log(add(2, 3));

console.log(sub(5, 2));

EOF

git diff

Three topics are mixed together: refactor (jsdoc), fix (null-check), feat (sub). In normal work you would just commit this as "misc changes". Now you will split them.

✓ Three topics in one diff. Next you will cut them apart.

First, fix the last commit's message with amend

Since the file is already changed, practice amend on the message separately. First, make the working tree clean again:

bash

cd /home/student/work/atomic-lab

git stash push -m "wip-mess"  # set uncommitted work aside in the stash with a label

git log --oneline

# --amend replaces the last commit with a new one (with a different SHA), -m sets the new message

git commit --amend -m "init: add function with two-arg signature"

git log --oneline             # the commit's SHA changed

git stash pop                 # bring the stashed work back

Notice: the message changed, but the commit's SHA became a different one (check with git log -1 --format=%H). amend is not an "edit in place"; it creates a new commit and moves the branch pointer.

✓ Message fixed with amend. Next, add -p.

Stage only the refactor part (jsdoc) into the index

git add -p server.js starts an interactive dialog. For each hunk Git asks: Stage this hunk [y,n,q,a,d,s,e,?]?.

The most useful answers:

y is yes, into the index
n is no, leave it in the working tree
s is split (cut the hunk into smaller ones)
q is quit

bash

cd /home/student/work/atomic-lab

git add -p server.js          # -p (--patch) = interactive staging by hunk

Answer y on the hunk with the jsdoc types and null-check refactor (use s if they are stuck together), n on everything that touches sub. After that, check:

bash

git diff --cached             # what went into the index (ready to commit)

git diff                      # what is left unstaged in the working tree

Only the refactor should land in the index. Subtract stayed in the working tree.

подсказка

If you get lost in the interactive prompt, `q` exits. The run is non-destructive, so you can repeat it.

✓ Refactor in the index, feature still in the working tree.

Commit the refactor as its own commit

bash

cd /home/student/work/atomic-lab

git commit -m "refactor: add jsdoc types and null-check"

git log --oneline

git status

Status shows that server.js is still modified: subtract is in the working tree.

✓ First atomic commit is ready.

Commit the subtract feature separately

Now add the rest, which is only feat:

bash

cd /home/student/work/atomic-lab

git add server.js

git diff --cached

git commit -m "feat: add sub function"

git log --oneline

Three commits: init, refactor, feat. Each one is its own topic.

✓ Atomic decomposition is done.

Add to the last commit with amend

Noticed you forgot to add console.log(sub(...)) as a separate commit? It is part of the same feature, so you can fold it into an amend.

But console.log is already in the file. Simulate "forgot and added it":

bash

cd /home/student/work/atomic-lab

echo "// usage example below" > note.txt

git add note.txt

# --amend = replace HEAD with a new commit, --no-edit = keep the old message

git commit --amend --no-edit

git log --oneline             # the commit count is the same, but HEAD now contains note.txt

git show HEAD --stat          # --stat = short summary of changed files

--amend --no-edit added the file to the last commit and kept the message. History is still 3 commits, but the last one now contains note.txt.

Rule: amend only before you push to a shared branch. On a pushed branch this means a force-push, which breaks git pull for everyone else.

✓ Amend added to the commit. History stayed short.

Что ты узнал

git add -p is interactive staging by hunk. You can build a commit from part of the changes in a file. git commit --amend rewrites the last commit: either the message or the content.

команды

git add -p fileinteractively pick hunks for staging
git diff --cachedcheck what went into the index before the commit
git commit --amendfix the last commit (message or content)
git commit --amend --no-editkeep the message, add a new stage

концепции

· an atomic commit = one logical change
· add -p lets you build a commit from part of a file
· amend changes the commit's SHA, so do not run it on pushed branches